My Hope is Built on Nothing Less

The story behind the hymn. Mr. Mote wrote this concerning the creation of his hymn:

“One morning it came into my mind as I went to labour, to write an hymn on the ‘Gracious Experience of a Christian.’ As I went up Holborn I had the chorus,

‘On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.’

In the day I had four first verses complete, and wrote them off. On the Sabbath following I met brother King as I came out of Lisle Street Meeting . . . who informed me that his wife was very ill, and asked me to call and see her.

I had an early tea, and called afterwards. He said that it was his usual custom to sing a hymn, read a portion, and engage in prayer, before he went to meeting. He looked for his hymnbook but could find it nowhere.

I said, ‘I have some verses in my pocket; if he liked, we would sing them.’ We did; and his wife enjoyed them so much, that after service he asked me, as a favour, to leave a copy of them for his wife.

1 went home, and by the fireside composed the last two verses, wrote the whole off, and took them to sister King. . . As these verses so met the dying woman’s case, my attention to them was the more arrested, and I had a thousand printed for distribution.” (hymnary.org)

Since the lyrics are in public domain, I share them…

My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus Christ, my righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

*On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
in every high and stormy gale,
my anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
support me in the whelming flood;
when all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
in Him, my righteousness, alone,
faultless to stand before the throne.

My hope is built…

…on nothing less than the same Spiritual Rock that accompanied Israel through the wilderness, “they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.” (1 Cor. 10:4 NKJV)

…on that One Foundation, that One Solid Rock. Jesus said, “All who listen to my instructions and follow them are wise, like a man who builds his house on solid rock.” (Matt. 7:24 TLB)

LOL Yeah, those old tunes really get stuck, don’t they? Love it! I love those behind-the-scenes stories as well. Thanks so much, Jean. I meant to stop by your place today but haven’t felt well. Will get there tomorrow. Blessings to you! 😀

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